Heart's Desire
by EmmaSnape94
Summary: Joe secretly loves Stella. Stella likes him but something always keeps her from telling him. When Joe's girlfriend cheats on him he seeks Stella for comfort. Will they express their feelings or lose their friendship? Joe/Stella Joe/OC Kevin/OC Nick/Miley
1. I Love

It seemed to Joe that he would never get _exactly_ what he wanted. Mindy, his girlfriend, was pretty and smart and lovable, everybody liked her and were wondering if he was going to pop the question. Problem was, Joe didn't want to marry her. She was fun to be around, but he didn't want to spend the rest of his life with her or have kids with her. Truth be told the only person Joe would ever consider having children with was his longtime friend and personal stylist. The one and only, Stella Malone.

"Joe?!" Mindy yelled.

"Yes?" Joe replied half-heartedly. Joe had taken Mindy the mall with the hopes that shopping could occupy her long enough that he could think.

"Do you like these jeans on me or do the pair I tried on before look better?" Mindy asked modeling the pair of jeans. "Or, do the ones I tried on yesterday morning look better?"

Joe didn't have a good answer. Three days before, his brother Kevin had asked him when he was going to propose to Mindy. Joe told him that he didn't want to marry her knowing that he could tell Kevin anything. Kevin advised him to either marry her or let her go.

"Joe?" an agitated Mindy called again.

"I like those better." Joe responded.

As Mindy went to change back into her clothes, Joe pulled out his wallet. This action was becoming very frequent. Joe really had to let her go soon. Not because of the money, that he had no lack of, no, she was just getting annoying.

Joe came home after dropping Mindy at her college dorm at 10pm. When he arrived, Kevin and Nick were sitting on bar stools in the kitchen eating pizza.

"So how was your date with Mindy?" They asked in unison.

"Boring, lame, rather-poke-my-eyes-out time." He replied

"Why don't you just break up with her?" Nick asked.

"I just can't seem to find a way that wouldn't hurt her feelings. It's like every time I try to tell her she tells me how thankful she is that I'm her boyfriend." Joe told them heatedly.

"Well it sounds like you desperately need to get rid of her." Kevin said as he came out the pantry with an armload of gummy bear bags.

"But why are you so desperate? When you have her around family and friends you seem so happy. You even brought her to Thanksgiving and she was so comfortable around all of our weird relatives. It almost seems like you think you love someone else…" Nick trailed off realizing his statement was true.

"But _who_?" He demanded.

Joe just stood there ruminating over the idea of telling his brothers just who he loved.

"Well?" His younger brother prodded.

"I swear if you tell her, nothing your brain could think up will amount to the pain you will feel." After both nodded, Joe continued, "well, I've kinda fallen in love with St-"

"Hey guys! Sorry it's so late but I just finished the designs for your new concert tour." Stella burst through the door cutting off Joe.

'Speak of the devil' Joe thought.

Kevin suddenly dropped the gummy bears on the floor and asked, "Did you make-" "-the tear-away scarves? Yes I did," Stella answered quickly.

"I'll leave them overnight so you can look them over. By the way, Joe, you know your fly is down?"

Joe looked at his pants and saw that his fly was indeed down. He spun around so fast he knocked the pizza off the counter and fell into the barstool headfirst. When he hit the ground, Stella dropped the portfolio of designs and ran over to him. Joe rolled over onto his back and looked up at her. He stared back at her taking note of every part of her worried expression.

"Are you okay?!" Stella asked as she helped him sit up on the floor.

"I'm fine," Joe laughed, "I'm more worried about the pizza." Joe grinned and stood noticing his brothers were closely watching his movements.

"Well, if you're fine I need to get home," she said while shaking her car keys.

"Okay" "Drive safe" "See you tomorrow" the boys all replied as she walked out the door.

"DUDE!!!! You love Stella??!!" Nick yelled.

"Yes" Joe admitted.

"Tell her, Joe. She always flirts with you." Kevin advised.

"I've got to break up with Mindy first!" Joe exclaimed.

"Oh yeah… Well good luck." Nick and Kevin made for their rooms.

"Thanks for the help guys!" Joe yelled back sarcastically.


	2. MINDY?

A/N: Hey guys, reviews are always awesome. Don't be afraid to give constructive criticism. Anyway I'm in an RV right now on vacation in the Ocala National Forest. I may be posting another chapter this week or maybe not, I don't know. If you read this and live in Florida send me a review/shoutout.

The next day Joe awoke cold and tired realizing he must have been tossing and turning all night. He stepped in the shower letting the hot water run over his body relieving some of the fatigue. After washing he got out, toweling off but skipping his hair straitening routine leaving his hair to be curly for the day. While dressing in one of Stella's outfits, Joe fought a battle in his brain. When should he break up with Mindy? Today? Tomorrow? When should he tell Stella? 'Stella' he thought, 'if I could at least be around her without doing something stupid or embarrassing.'

'To hell with it,' Joe thought, 'I need to go talk to Mindy today. No, this morning.'

Joe ran down the stairs grabbing his car keys from the counter and rushed out the door. He jumped in his Mustang and pulled out of the driveway. He got the end of the driveway and stopped himself after looking at the dashboard clock. 6:43 am. Mindy didn't get up until 7:30 because she had soccer until 11pm.

Joe decided, to kill time, that he run by the bagel shop. Pulling up to the drive through window, he paid for his bagel and waited as they piled on the egg, bacon, and cheese. After sitting for about a minute Joe got impatient and started looking through the window to see what the hold-up was, but instead of looking at the shop tenants, his eyes were fixed upon the people at the counter: Mindy and Matt, her ex-boyfriend. That was fine, except the fact that they were 1, holding hands, 2, she was leaning her back on his front, and 3, his chin was on her shoulder.

Before he knew it, Joe was out of his car and in the bagel shop.

"MINDY?!!" Joe yelled, "what the hell?"

Mindy jumped away from Matt immediately feigning innocence. "Joe…I… can explain…," she stammered.

"Well please do because I'd love to hear why you were cheating on me with your EX!" Joe exclaimed sarcastically cupping his hand around his ear.

"I…I…I was…" Mindy tried to reply to her soon-to-be-ex boyfriend.

"We are so done!" Joe shot at her as he stormed out of the door and got back into his Mustang, after grabbing his bagel, and pulled off into traffic. Joe flew home ignoring the speed limit signs. When he got home he was livid and mad enough that as he closed the front door, he pulled off the handle. Kevin and his girlfriend Lauren were in a steamy make-out session on the couch and didn't even notice he came. Joe was just about to ask him if they could talk when Kevin's hand went up Lauren's shirt.

"Get a room guys!" Joe protested as he ran up the stairs two at a time. "Nick, are you home?"

"Yeah, I'm in the studio," Nick replied, "something wrong?"

"No, except the fact that I just caught Mindy cheating on me with Matt!"

"What? I thought you were going to break up with her."

"I was on my way over to her place when I realized that it was too early for her to be up after her late night soccer practice. I stopped by Bagel World and I saw her with him in line being physical. I mean I don't even know how long she's been cheating."

"Well I guess you don't need advice on how to break up anymore," Nick said jokingly. His remark landed him a slap to the back of the head.

"You deserved that," Joe said.

"Yeah I did."

Joe was walking out of the studio but turned back. "Hey, just a warning, I wouldn't go down stairs to the living room if I were you. Kevin and Lauren are having fun on the couch."

Nick just rolled his eyes as Joe left. As soon as Joe was gone Nick reached under the soundboard table and signaled to Miley that it was safe to come out of hiding.

"Where were we…? Oh I remember!" Nick played as he pulled Miley onto his lap and they started kissing rather passionately. No one knew they were back together. Things heated up Miley ran her hands over Nick's back.


	3. Mushrooms, greenpeppers, onions, bacon

A/N: **I am soooo sorry I didn't update! I've had online classes to do and they have to be done by August 1****st**** if I want to stay at my school so I've been working like crazy to get them done. Right know I'm having a Celtic music addiction (weird huh?) after, sadly, watching the Disney movie The Luck of the Irish with my sister. It was pretty good compared with other Disney movies, but that's not saying a whole lot. Anyway, I promise you'll hear more about Nick and Miley and Kevin and Lauren (who happens to be based off my exbestfriend so I'm having fun with that one). Like always, please review ;)**

Stella sighed as she heard Joe's ringtone play out from within her purse. She'd liked Joe since they were in the ninth grade but never figured out a way to tell him. It always seemed he had a girl hanging on him. Just when she would think he was free, she'd see him together with yet another girl.

"Hello?" Stella answered, expecting Joe but hearing Nick instead.

"Is Joe with you?" the youngest of the band asked.

"No, why. And why do you have his phone?"

"Joe caught Mindy cheating on him and after he was home for a few minutes, he stormed out of the house on foot. He didn't take his phone, his wallet, or his keys. The only thing he took was his iPod. I thought maybe he ran to your apartment."

"I'm actually at the mall picking up the custom shoes you guys ordered for the tour. I'm about to leave so I'll check at my place and call you back."

"Thanks Stella."

"Anytime. Bye."

"Bye."

Stella quickly signed for the shoes and carried them out to her car. When she got to her apartment she went in to find Joe curled up on her couch sleeping with his iPod still playing. She put down the shoes and sat down on the couch replacing the pillow with her lap, removing the headphones from his ears and turning off the iPod. She silently stroked the side of his face and neck before pulling out her phone and texting Nick to tell him she had found Joe.

_I found him at my place asleep._

_OK. U want me 2 pick him up?_

_No, he's sleepin._

_KK_

Stella went back to stroke his face with her index finger knowing how hard it was to find out someone was cheating on you. Stella fell asleep sitting on the couch with her hand on Joe's arm.

jsjsjsjsjsjsjsjsjsjsjsjsjsjsjsjsjsjsjsjsjsjsjsjsjsjsjsjsjsjsjsjsjsjsjsjsjsjsjsjsjsjsjsjsjsjsjsjsjsjsjsjsjsjsjsjsjsjsjsjsjsjsjsjsjsjsjs

Joe awoke feeling a hand on his arm. He slowly turned his head trying to remember how he had fallen asleep on Stella's couch…in her lap. Seeing his iPod and lack of phone, he remembered his angry jog to Stella's apartment after the Mindy…_incident._ But he didn't recall falling asleep in her lap or her even being home for that matter when he arrived. He turned his head so he could see her face noticing she was asleep but the motion woke her. She looked down at him and smiled.

"When did you get home?" Joe asked.

"About an hour ago," Stella replied looking at her watch.

"Really? I slept that long?"

"Yeah."

Both were quiet for a minute.

"Nick called me and told me about Mindy," Stella said trying to break the silence.

"I can't believe she would do that to me," Joe said looking at the ceiling.

"I can't either." She replied genuinely upset for her friend.

Again they were silent.

"Can I sleep on your couch tonight?" Joe asked, "I really don't want to go back home to the pictures of us right now."

"Sure," Stella answered happy to help, "let me just order a pizza or something."

"Ooooh, I want mushrooms, onions, green peppers, and bacon on mine!" Joe exclaimed.

"And you think girls eat weird stuff?" Stella laughed.


	4. Clothing and Cars

**I'm so sorry guys about the wait. I thought I would have this chapter done a long time ago. I had NO idea that I would be this busy. Again, I apologize for the length of the down time I had. Please read and review with editing tips, story ideas, or anything you think might be helpful to me. I'd really appreciate it! Thank you!**

Joe awoke to the aroma of unhealthily strong coffee. Stretching, he looked into the kitchen to see Stella at the small table with a mug in one hand and a sketch pencil in the other.

"Morning" Joe said sleepily as he walked into the small kitchen area behind her.

"Gosh, Joe! You scared me!" she replied with dramatic shock.

Smiling, Joe poured himself a cup of coffee and sat down at the table that was enshrouded with unfinished clothing designs.

"Wow Stel, for what occasion would I need to wear this?" he asked, pointing to a particular design. It was a Tuxedo with long tails, a top hat, and shoes with metal tips at the toes.

Stella looked over at the design concealing her embarrassment. "d-don't know, j-just got the idea one day to draw that."

"Well I would look- what word did Kevin use that time? Oh yes- strapping! A strapping lad I would be!"

Stella rolled her eyes at the humorous boy and went back to her sketching. She had drawn that after attending the wedding of one of her close friends, thought the drawing originally had Joe's head on it. Thankful now that she had erased it, Stella put down her pencil and paper to pick at the blueberry muffin she had chosen for her breakfast.

Joe sat staring at the small television that broadcast her favorite morning news channel sipping his coffee. Stella noticed he hadn't mentioned anything about the past day's occurrences.

"Hey Stel," he said after the weather report of 'sun, sun, and more sun' was broadcast, "what are you doing today?"

"I'm not really sure," she responded, "I need to go pick up the material for Kevin's pants. I'm trying to reinforce the knees. You know how he likes to power slide."

Joe laughed. Kevin was definitely the odd one. He was surprised he even had a girlfriend. Though Lauren was odd too after all. The short blonde had met Kevin at a roller blading convention and had never heard of Jonas or the Lucas brothers. She treated him like a normal guy and as long as Kevin was happy, Joe was too.

"Well I don't know what I'm going to do," he said hoping that they could do something together.

"You could… I don't know… ride your bike to Burger King, then McDonalds, Taco Bell-"

"No… something fun," he laughed, "or distracting," he added.

"You could always take me shopping!" Stella declared.

"Yeah, wait, what?" Joe asked confused and obviously not paying attention.

"You asked me for help now you're not PAYING ATTENTION." She said looking him in the face.

"Well you're not helping."

"I don't know what you should do."

"Well I do want to go shopping," he said shocking her.

"Wow, in all my days," she said sanctimoniously, "I have never heard you day you want to go shopping."

"What?" he asked, "I didn't mean I want to go clothes shopping."

"I knew you would never."

"I want to go car shopping. I only own one car at the moment and that makes me feel weird. Like I'm missing something…" he said looking off into the distance for dramatic effect.

Stella began to laugh, lightly slapping Joe's arm.

"Well I always find shopping to be a stress reliever but I usually end up buying a lot more junk than I need."

"But that's the fun of it!" he protested. "I want to go spend money."

"Well you do that," she replied, knowing he was going to go no matter what she said. He mom once told her that boys never grow up, the toys they play with just got bigger.

"Do you want to go with me?" he asked feebly, preparing for a 'no'.

Stella knew she had much to do, looking around at the messy apartment and at the pile of pants belonging to Kevin.

"Sure," she replied surprising him.

Joe left Stella's apartment and went home to get ready for the day. Walking home he felt clear-headed and awake, like the morning air was urging him to be focused and connected to the world around him. However, all he could think about was Stella.

Joe opened the front door and immediately noticed the pair of bright teal Converse by the door. Lauren had obviously not gone home last night. In a way he was proud, but at the same time surprised and a bit curious how the event unfolded considering Kevin's antics.

Joe bypassed the kitchen deciding he'd rather go out for breakfast. He felt like spending money today. He wasn't really sure why, it could have been in part due to Mindy but he had wanted to buy some things for himself for a while.

He ran up the stairs taking them two at a time eager to get ready and leave. Walking down the hall he noticed an orange Roxy shirt on the floor along with the Burberry scarf Joe had bought Kevin for Christmas. Quickly passing Kevin's room, Joe entered his own closing the door and beginning to rush around looking to for the right thing to wear. He had never had issues before with his clothing choices but that was due to the fact that Stella picked out most of his outfits. He wanted to impress her by wearing something nice.

'Nick could help!' Nick was the one he went to for help and advice in these situations. Even though Nick was the youngest, Kevin just didn't know how to handle normal issues. Joe ran down the hall toward Nick's room, well it was really a recording studio with a sleeping quarters. He burst through the doors and began searching for his younger brother.

"Nick!" he yelled. "Where are you? I need to ask you something!"

Running into Nick's bedroom sized closet he noticed a set of coat hangers on the floor with the labels 'Armani Gray Coat' and 'Armani Gray Trouser'. Nick labeled everything, even when it was obvious. Seeing the missing suit Joe realized Nick must have gone to church. Nick led music and played the drums at the church their father used to pastor every other weekend.

"And Kevin's… busy," he muttered.

Joe rushed down the hall back to his room and into his bathroom. He didn't want to risk messing with his hair so he skipped that and went directly to shaving. Managing to not cut himself, Joe quickly ran to his large closet and began browsing. He quickly chose a pair of distressed, relax fit jeans and a black V-neck t-shirt, throwing on a pair of blue Sperry deck shoes on his feet. Once dressed, Joe grabbed his phone, keys, and leather wallet. He ran back down the hall dodging the various clothing items on the floor and down the stairs into the 15+ car garage and workshop where Joe liked to mess around and enjoy his little known hobby of tinkering around under the hood. He briskly passed several of Kevin's cars including his barely used Jeep Commander and Nick's new yellow Camaro and slid into the seat of his self restored black 1968 Mustang.

**A/N: So what do you think? Some sex, just a hint I know. I'm going to change the rating of this to T and then have alternate scenes that I'll post like oneshots that will be M rated. I know I haven't updated in almost a year but if you'll forgive me I'll have chapters continuing all summer long! BTW I just started an Ironman fic called Loss and Gain and will be doing that on the side so if you get time please read that and give me feedback.**


End file.
